Texas Soldier Caught Smuggling Migrant

A Texas National Guard solider was reportedly arrested on Sunday after allegedly trying to smuggle an illegal immigrant across the border in a government vehicle, according to NewsNation's Ali Bradley.

The situation at the U.S.-Mexico border has grown more dire as the number of illegal migrant crossings has spiked in recent years. Since the start of fiscal 2024, which began in October, there have been 1,151,448 U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) encounters.

Bradley, who covers the southern border, reported on Wednesday in a post on X, formerly Twitter, that the solider, who was reportedly deployed from McAllen to Eagle Pass under Operation Lone Star, was "busted" for smuggling.

"Kinney County Sheriff Brad Coe says the soldier turned around when he approached a pop-up tactical Border Patrol checkpoint off 674 in Kinney County that had only been operational for a few days—The behavior alerting agents who attempted to stop the suv—The sheriff says Texas DPS [Department of Public Safety] got involved with the pursuit and used spike strips which ultimately stopped the vehicle," Bradley wrote.

Texas DPS is currently investigating the incident. Newsweek reached out to the department and Kinney County Sheriff's office (KCSO) via email for comment.

Bradley attached a bodycam video from KCSO in her post which appeared to show the solider getting arrested. As one officer puts the solider in handcuffs, the solider can be heard saying: "Oh man, I'm so stupid," followed by someone else saying: "Yeah, you are f***ing stupid man."

When the officer detaining the solider in the video asked if he had any weapons on him, he said: "No sir. One in the vehicle." The officer responded: "Oh, you got a weapon in the vehicle, too? Jesus Christ man."

Governor Greg Abbott's press secretary, Andrew Mahaleris, told Newsweek in an emailed statement on Wednesday:

"If the allegations are true, the accused is a traitor and criminal. We have zero tolerance for Texans who violate laws that directly contradict the mission we are seeking to achieve. The accused's illegal smuggling may subject him to a mandatory minimum prison sentence of at least 10 years. He deserves more."

Last week, Abbott boasted about his Operation Lone Star, in which the governor's office works with Texas DPS and the Texas National Guard to secure the southern border.

Abbott said in a press release that he and the Texas agencies "continue to work together to secure the border; stop the smuggling of drugs, weapons, and people into Texas; and prevent, detect, and interdict transnational criminal activity between ports of entry."

"Since the launch of Operation Lone Star, the multi-agency effort has led to over 506,500 illegal immigrant apprehensions and more than 41,200 criminal arrests, with more than 36,700 felony charges," the release continued.

In February, Abbott announced that Texas is building a military base for deployed Texas National Guard soldiers in Eagle Pass, which is a hotspot for migrant encounters. The military base will be able to house up to 2,300 soldiers.

The Texas governor's Lone Star Operation has been criticized by the Biden administration, who has called Abbott's migrant deterrence tactics inhumane. The White House and Texas are currently enthralled in multiple legal battles over the governor's efforts to curb illegal crossings at the southern border.

Abbott also signed a controversial bill that allows state officials to arrest and detain individuals who are suspected of entering the U.S. illegally though Texas. The law has been challenged in court with an Austin federal judge blocking Abbott from implementing the measure. Last month, however, the Supreme Court upheld an appeals court decision to temporarily block the federal court's decision, allowing Abbott to carry on with the new law.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said at the time that "we fundamentally disagree" with the Supreme Court ruling.

Update 4/3/24, 2:08 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from Abbott's office.